The Tone of Re Major

What is Re Major

A tone is the «centre of gravity» of a work: a main note, the tonic, and a scale that is organized around it. In Greater Re the tonic is Re and the scale is greater, that is, with a third greater (Re-Fa♯) which gives an open and bright color.

Share armor with If less, its relative tonality: the same notes, but with another center. And he shares tonic with Minor re, his homonymous tonality, which carries 1 bemol.

The armor

The armor carries 2 supports, which are always written in this order at the beginning of each pentagram:

• Fa♯ · Do♯
• Trick to remember it: the supports advance by ascending fifths (Fa → Do → Sol → Re → The → Mi → Yes), and the last sustained is always half tone below the larger tone.

The scale

The Re major scale follows the pattern of tones and semitones of any larger scale (tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone):

• Re - Mi - Fa♯ - Sol - La - Yes - Do♯ - Re
• The semitones fall between Fa♯ and Sun and between Do♯ and Re. That seventh note, Do♯, is the «sensitive»: is half the tone of the tonic and pulls it into resolution.

The main chords

• I · Tonic, Re major: Re-Fa♯ - La. The point of rest.
• II · My minor: My - Sol - Yes. Prepare the dominant one gently.
• IV · Subdominant, Sun major: Sol - Yes - Re. Get away from the tonic without tension.
• V · Dominant, Major: The - Do♯ - Me. Contains the sensitive (Do♯) and pushes towards the tonic.
• V7 · Seventh dominant: The - Do♯ - My - Sol. The maximum voltage before solving.
• VI · If minor: Yes - Re - Fa♯. It is the tonic of the relative minor and brings a touch of shadow.

Examples of progress

• Perfect chain (I - IV - V7 - I): Re → Sol → La7 → Re. The formula that confirms the tonality at the end of almost any work.
• II - V - I: Mim → La7 → Re. The most used progression from harmony, from Baroque to jazz.
• Broken (V7 - VI): La7 → Sim. The ear is waiting for Re and receives a minor chord: a small surprise blow.
• Modulation to the dominant: Re → Mi7 → La. The Sun♯ of the Mi7 chord is the sensitive of La and takes the music to The Major, the most common destination of a work in the Greater Re.

Character

Greater re is bright and bright. In the Baroque era it was the tonality of natural trumpets and celebrations, and also takes advantage of the cords to the air of the violin (Re and La), which is why so many concerts were chosen for this instrument. Today we know that with the temperate tuning all the tonalities sound equal to «tuned»but these associations continue to be part of the tradition and the way the composers choose them.

Works to listen to her

• Pachelbel: Canon and giga in Greater Re (late 17th century).
• Bach: orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068, with the famous «Aria».
• Händel: The Messiah (1741), with «Hallelujah» in Re major.
• Haydn: Symphony No. 104, «London» (1795).
• Beethoven: Concert for violin, op. 61 (1806).
• Brahms: Concert for violin, op. 77 (1878).
• Chaikovski: Concert for violin, op. 35 (1878).